October 20, 2012

“Human-powered helicopters are hard to build”

NPR has put together interesting proof that human-powered helicopters are hard to build: Kottke writes,

A team at the University of Maryland are building a human-powered helicopter in an attempt to win the Igor I. Sikorsky Human Powered Helicopter Competition. To win the $250,000 prize, the helicopter must fly for 60 seconds, reach a momentary altitude of 3 meters, and stay within a 10 meter square. This is surprisingly difficult.

I’d call it unsurprisingly difficult!